Mike Walsh

Mike loves mentoring clients on the right Systems or High Availability architectures because he enjoys those lightbulb moments and loves watching the right design and setup come together for a client. He loves the architecture talks about the cloud - and he's enjoying building a Managed SQL Server DBA practice that is growing while maintaining values and culture. He started Straight Path in 2010 when he decided that after over a decade working with SQL Server in various roles, it was time to try and take his experience, passion, and knowledge to help clients of all shapes and sizes. Mike is a husband, and father to four great children and lives in the middle of nowhere NH.

Hey Techies.. Try Simple Solutions First!

September 23, 2014 by Mike Walsh

Last week a man jumped the fence at the home of the President of the United States. This is a fairly routine occurrence. Except he made it to the door to the “residence” portion of the White House – where the first family lives. And made it through the unlocked front door – where he … Read more

Four Things We Wish We Knew

November 27, 2023September 11, 2014 by Mike Walsh

A couple weeks ago I posted 4 Attitudes I Wish I Had When I Started – it was 4 pieces of advice I’d love to give to my old self that I’ve either learned the hard way or am still learning. I also asked others to contribute. I specifically tagged a couple people and they tagged some others. … Read more

4 Attitudes I Wish I Had Earlier as a DBA

July 16, 2016August 27, 2014 by Mike Walsh

Outside of Work is Really Important This one is first and longest for a reason. Time – it keeps going. It doesn’t pause while you have a busy month at the office. That means the things that matter the most in life keep happening. Whether you are there or not. Right now. Right this moment – especially … Read more

DBA Tunnel Vision

August 22, 2014 by Mike Walsh

One of the things hammered into you in Firefighting training, Law Enforcement training, defensive gun use training and many other forms of training is “Do not develop tunnel vision.” There is a reason they emphasize this concept so much, too. Lot of folks get killed each year by tunnel vision. Do you think this phenomenon doesn’t … Read more

More Soft Skills From The Ambulance

February 25, 2021August 14, 2014 by Mike Walsh

A couple days ago I posted some of the lessons I learned in the back of an ambulance that have translated into my career as a SQL Server Consultant or a DBA. I promised I had a few more. Here they are. “I Don’t Know What You’ve Been Through” Empathy. My friend Tom LaRock wrote an … Read more

Consulting Skills Learned in the Ambulance

November 27, 2023August 12, 2014 by Mike Walsh

I used to be a firefighter and EMT in years past. I still fondly remember those days and the 6 or so years I spent helping folks on their worst day and training to be ready to help them have given me some of the soft skills that have helped me through life as a technologist. … Read more

Letter to my Daughter

July 9, 2014July 8, 2014 by Mike Walsh

I’ve put this on my personal blog, Open Mike, where I am trying to keep matters of faith and personal life so I can keep the focus here on technology blogging and SQL Server consulting. But this was one I wanted to share in both spots as I sometimes do and will do. Introduction As … Read more